Sarcocysts As a Common Post Mortem Finding in Heart Muscles of Cattle: Necropsy Case Report

A necropsy case of the Vrindavani breed of cattle was presented in the post-mortem hall of the Division of Pathology in ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh). One of the prominent necropsy findings was the presence of Sarcocysts in cardiac muscles revealed after a microscopic examination of tissue section collected from the myocardium. Micrograph through the cardiac muscle section of a carcass showing eosinophilic myositis and exhibiting diffuse leukocytic infiltration and the S. cruzi like sporocyst with multifocal sarcocystosis schizonts within cardiac muscle fascicles with congested blood vessels and also sarcocyst was evident in Purkinje fibers. By light microscopy, it can be distinguished whether the wall is thick or thin. Cysts containing bradyzoite in striated cardiac muscles and liberation of infective bradyzoites from cysts were observed. Macroscopic findings were congested myocardium with multifocal petechiae at the apex, interventricular groove and epicardial fat deposits were observed, other prominent gross findings were an enlarged liver, with mild congestion seen on a cut section and thickened hepatic capsule and cut section of liver showing congested parenchyma with pale grey areas of necrosis. Microscopic examination confirmed a focal area of necrosis infiltrated with numerous Polymorphonuclear Lymphocytes (PMNLs) in liver tissue and also dilated sinusoids infiltrated with neutrophils and cells with intense eosinophilic cytoplasm were observed.